Report of the Strategic Director of Place to the meeting of Regeneration & Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee to be held on 27 July 2021 A Subject: West Bradford Corridor Improvement Programme – Contract Standing Orders Approval Summary statement: The purpose of this report is to advise Members of the intention to undertake two separate procurement exercises, both in excess of £2 million, to construct the improvement schemes at Great Horton Road/Horton Grange Road (tender 1) and the Toller Lane/Carlisle Road and Thornton Road/Cemetery Road junctions (tender 2) in accordance with the requirements of Contract Standing Order 7.2.1 (CSO 2021/22). EQUALITY & DIVERSITY: An Equality Impact Assessment has been carried out and approved for each scheme within the West Bradford Corridor Improvement Programme. In each case it was concluded that there will be benefits in terms of improved crossing facilities for those in the age, disability, pregnancy and maternity characteristics through safer crossing opportunities. Overall, reduced journey times and improved journey time reliability will benefit all road users. There will no negative impacts on each of the protected characteristics. Jason Longhurst Portfolio: Strategic Director of Place Regeneration, Planning and Transport Report Contact: Richard Gelder Overview & Scrutiny Area: Highway Services Manager Regeneration & Environment Phone: (01274) 437603 E-mail: [email protected] 1. SUMMARY 1.1 The West Bradford Corridor Improvement Plan (CIP) forms part of the Government funded West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, which aims to reduce congestion and improve bus journey times, improve air quality and increase road safety at key congestion points on the highway network. The CIP schemes will support growth in jobs, businesses and housing developments in the immediate areas and the wider district. 1.2 The purpose of this report is to advise Members of the intention to undertake two separate procurement exercises, both in excess of £2 million, for the construction of schemes at Great Horton Road/Horton Grange Road (tender 1) and the Toller Lane/Carlisle Road and Thornton Road/Cemetery Road junctions (tender 2) in accordance with the requirements of Contract Standing Order 7.2.1 (CSO 2021/22). 1.3 Details of each scheme as currently developed are described within this report together with the anticipated benefits of their implementation on improving bus journey times and journey time reliability in order that members can appreciate the scale of works involved. 2. BACKGROUND 2.1 The CIP aims to deliver improvements to the western section of the A6177 Outer Ring Road to improve bus journey times, and their reliability at known congestion points by enhancing the operation of the highway. The CIP programme complements the wider aspirations for transport associated with programmes such as the Transforming Cities Fund and implementation of the Clean Air Zone. The programme has also been developed to support, as far as possible, the requirements of the Government’s new Cycle Infrastructure Design requirements (LTN1/20) and Bus Back Better (National Bus Strategy for England). 2.2 Known locations adversely affecting bus journey times were identified as part of the initial development of the Corridor Investment Programme in order that measures to improve bus operations could be developed on a corridor based approach. The locations of Great Horton Road / Horton Grange Road and Toller Lane / Carlisle Road and Thornton Road / Cemetery Road were identified as particular locations on the outer ring road where buses experienced significant delay and where journey times varied significantly during AM and PM peak periods. Great Horton Road / Horton Grange Road 2.3 The Great Horton Road/Horton Grange Road (tender 1) scheme looks to provide a new link between Horton Park Avenue and All Saints Road, alongside supporting measures to reduce the volume of traffic using the All Saints Road/Great Horton Road junction. The estimate to deliver the scheme is £4.457m, covering construction costs and project management through to monitoring and evaluation of the delivered scheme to ensure that the anticipated benefits of the intervention are realised. 2.4 To ensure a robust approach to monitoring and evaluation can be adopted a benefit realisation plan (BRP) has been developed as part of the Full Business Case submission (and approved through the Combined Authority’s assurance process) for this project. The BRP outlines how the scheme objectives translate into benefit categories. For the Great Horton Road scheme the forecast benefits include: Improved journey time reliability for highway users, specifically buses; Improvement in air quality for local residents through reduced congestion in the locality; Investment leading to job creation and additional housing; Improvement in levels of active modes including cycling and walking; Improvement to the west of Bradford; Improved road safety; and Improved strategic route connectivity to central Bradford. 2.5 The scheme delivers improvements for buses, primarily through journey time savings associated with the additional capacity with a corresponding notable improvement to journey time reliability. Improved confidence in reliability of journey times is a key benefit to bus users and potential users. In addition, improvements to bus shelters have been made as part of the scheme. The Great Horton Road scheme requires the rerouting of the 613/614 service on the inbound journey to the Bradford, this change will result in the bus stopping in closer proximity to the medical centre. 2.6 Where possible provision for cyclists has been made, this includes the provision of shared space and Advanced Stop Lines (ASLs). Additional optioneering was undertaken prior to Outline Business Case (OBC) submission to look at enhanced provision for active modes, however this was shown to be difficult in respect of cost, spatial constraints and the impact on overall scheme benefits. 2.7 The scheme provides improved pedestrian facilities with the signalisation of the Great Horton Road/Horton Park Avenue junction, and further crossing points to provide connectivity to local amenities including Horton Park as a recreation area, the local medical centre and also the local primary school with the intention of increasing the number of local journeys made on foot. The new link provides an enhanced route on foot between Horton Park Avenue and All Saints Road. The local primary school has been engaged through the design development process, with the introduction of the one-way section on All Saints Road considered to be favourable, on account of reducing the traffic in direct proximity to the school. The design, combined with investment in landscaping, also improves the footpath to the rear of Dirkhill Street which, with the Council taking possession of the former Mumtaz car park, creates a park and walking route to the school. 2.8 This scheme demonstrates a strong value for money case with a Benefit Cost Ratio of 19.49 representing a high VfM case and makes a significant contribution towards reducing carbon targets of 4,000 tonnes of CO2 emission savings. Thornton Road / Toller Lane 2.9 The Toller Lane/Carlisle Road and Thornton Road/Cemetery Road (tender 2) improvements are designed to improve the efficiency of the junction through separation of turning movements together with localised widening on the approach to the junction. Enhanced pedestrian crossing facilities will also be provided to improve general road safety for pedestrians and vulnerable users. The estimate to deliver this scheme is £12.357m, again covering all construction & project management costs through to monitoring and evaluation of the delivered scheme. 2.10 The scheme delivers improvements for buses, primarily through journey time savings associated with the additional capacity together with a notable improvement to journey time reliability. Improved pedestrian facilities are also provided, particularly at Toller Lane/Whetley Hill, where there is currently no provision for crossing pedestrians in proximity to the medical centre. Additional footways are also provided as part of this scheme. Arrangements at signalised junctions across the Thornton Road scheme area provide for improved pedestrian crossings and refuges throughout. 2.11 The final value for money case is still being developed for this project (as its Full Business Case is still in development), however on the basis of the outline business case assessment this project was 4.29, again representing a high VfM case. Quantification of CO2 benefits remains outstanding at the time of drafting this report. 3. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS Project Assurance 3.1 Both the Great Horton Road/Horton Grange Road and the Toller Lane/Carlisle Road and Thornton Road/Cemetery Road junction improvements are being progressed through the Combined Authority’s assurance process. The Council is required to provide the Combined Authority with a series of business case submissions setting out the rationale for the scheme using HM Treasury’s Green Book five business case approach at key stages of the project’s development. 3.2 The Combined Authority’s Assurance process is progressive; the Great Horton Road/Horton Grange Road and the Toller Lane/Carlisle Road and Thornton Road/Cemetery Road junction schemes received Outline Business Case approval in April 2019, enabling progression to Full Business Case. 3.3 The Great Horton Road/Horton Grange Road scheme has since had approval at Full